The Automatic Rooting Range Is Too Wide - Chapter 202

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Auto Looting Range Too Wide Episode 202
Fire

Episode 202: Dok-sin-sa-gwi (1)
Mincheol and his companions discussed how to escape the Heavenly Demon Tomb.
However, no particularly promising method came to mind.
None of the group possessed expertise in formation techniques.
“Our best option appears to be wandering around, locating the formation’s core, and destroying it.”
With no alternative, I decided to follow Moon Yu-baek’s suggestion.
Before moving to search for the formation’s core, I retrieved a charger from my inventory and plugged it into Bokdol-i.
It was an item that converted demonic stones into magical energy for charging.
I emptied out the demonic stones I’d purchased in advance and fed them into the charger.
Unfortunately, my inventory capacity was insufficient to bring many demonic stones.
As a result, I barely managed to fill just five percent of the total capacity.
-Uhhh, now I can move.
Bokdol-i stretched his one remaining arm and spoke.
“Bokdol, how many times can you fight?”
-Exactly seven times I can release magical energy before the ground gives out.
That was far too few.
It seemed I couldn’t rely heavily on Bokdol-i.
‘I’ll save it for just one critical moment.’
I concealed Bokdol-i using the optical camouflage function.
Considering the movements of the Black Corpses, there would be no time to deploy Bokdol-i if danger struck.
Keeping him on standby in advance was the wisest strategy.
Fortunately, the optical camouflage and levitation functions only consumed the existing power core’s magical energy.
“Let’s move again.”
At my words, Wi Ji-yeon and Moon Yu-baek nodded simultaneously.
* * *
【You activate ‘Carving Out’.】
【All objects within the cubic range are acquired.】
My group explored the Heavenly Demon Tomb while utilizing Auto Looting.
The Black Corpses we encountered along the way were easily handled through Auto Looting.
The problem was that we simply couldn’t locate the formation’s core.
“Formation techniques disrupt the natural flow of energy. If a core were nearby, we would inevitably sense it in some way….”
Moon Yu-baek spoke while surveying the surroundings.
“Given that we haven’t detected anything so far, the formation appears to be far more sophisticated than I anticipated.”
“This is becoming troublesome.”
I clicked my tongue.
It felt like being trapped in a cage with no escape.
‘Just who were they preparing this so thoroughly to face?’
Mincheol recalled Dok-an-gwi.
Currently, the Heavenly Demon Tomb housed more than just Dok-an-gwi—there were other masters among the Top 100 Masters of the World.
Perhaps the formation of the Heavenly Demon Tomb had been designed to deceive them.
If that were true, no matter how hard Mincheol’s group tried, they could never break through the formation.
How could they possibly see through such an advanced formation when even masters at the peak realm fell for it?
‘Wow, this is really too difficult.’
I’d suspected as much from the moment the Quest opened and rewards were distributed, but this was far worse than expected.
What was I supposed to do in a place where even peak-realm masters died like insects?
And now I couldn’t even find the Cheonma’s legacy, which had been my original goal.
As I grumbled and passed through the collapsed passage, it happened.
Boom—
A tremendous sound suddenly erupted.
I turned toward the source of the noise in alarm.
Two martial artists were fighting in a wide passage.
Their opponent was a Black Corpse.
The surprising part was that the two martial artists were gaining the upper hand against the Black Corpse.
One of them unleashed a sword energy that severed the Black Corpse’s leg.
Then the other rushed forward and pierced its head and chest with the tip of their blade.
Both of them appeared extremely experienced in fighting the Black Corpse.
‘Who are they?’
The Black Corpse was a monster so powerful that even Dok-an-gwi, one of the Top 100 Masters of the World, had been helpless against it.
Of course, Dok-an-gwi hadn’t been in perfect condition either.
One arm was crippled, his entire body was covered in wounds, and his internal injuries were severe.
He probably hadn’t been able to display even half his true strength.
But regardless, Dok-an-gwi was one of the Top 100 Masters of the World.
The Black Corpse had killed such a powerful warrior with ease.
“Phew, Namgung. You’ve worked hard.”
“My brother did most of the work. But anyway… who are you?”
The two martial artists turned to look at Mincheol’s group.
They had already noticed our presence.
“Hmm, it seems they’re not martial artists from one of the great families.”
“They don’t bear the insignia of any righteous sect either.”
The eyes of both men turned cold and sharp.
Perhaps it was because we were trapped in a formation and had just encountered the Black Corpse as a dangerous enemy.
They looked ready to draw their blades without hesitation.
‘No, it’s not just “looked ready.” They’ve already decided to kill us.’
The discernment I’d honed through countless life-and-death struggles told me so.
What those two were thinking.
In such a dangerous place, there was no need to spare potential threats.
So they had definitely decided to kill us first and ask questions later.
Gulp.
I swallowed hard.
Though they claimed to have fought together, the two of them had dispatched the Black Corpse with ease.
They were undoubtedly masters at the peak of their power.
If so, the probability they were among the Top 100 Masters of the World was quite high.
I had to face both of them simultaneously?
There was no way I could win, no matter what strategy I employed.
‘But where have I seen them before?’
That was when I thought it.
“Wait, isn’t this the guy who threw the fragment to Dok-an-gwi?”
“Huh? I thought his face looked familiar. Was it him?”
The two recognized me first.
Hearing their words, I flinched. Could these be the same people I’d seen back then?
“Of all people, we run into that guy now…”
“You bastard, what were you thinking handing over that fragment to Dok-an-gwi right in front of us!”
To make matters worse, the two’s wariness intensified even further.
My mouth had gone completely dry.
-Master, greet them quickly!
Bokdol-i whispered softly.
I made a bewildered expression. What was he talking about?
-Gunja-geom and Geom-seong are from the Moyong Family and Namgung Family respectively! They’re famous for being strict about formalities because they come from prestigious clans!
What does that have to do with greeting them?
I wanted to ask that, but I kept my mouth firmly shut.
The voice coming through the communication device was adjusted to a frequency only I could hear.
But if I whispered back to Bokdol-i, the two would definitely hear it.
Masters at the peak couldn’t possibly miss that level of sound.
-No time to explain! Hurry! Bow! Emphasize that you’re a junior! Flatter them both!
Bokdol-i urged desperately.
I had no choice but to clench my fists and bow deeply to the two.
“Kim Min-chul, a humble student of the Martial Arts Realm! I dare offer my respects to you esteemed seniors!”
Even I didn’t understand the action I’d just taken.
“Hmm?”
“Huh?”
And just like that, the wariness that had crystallized in their eyes faded like a ghost.
‘This actually works?’
For someone accustomed to the freedom of modern society, it was difficult to comprehend.
But this was the Martial Arts Realm!
A world bound by invisible, intricate formalities.
In such a place, showing respect as a junior to seniors carried considerable weight.
“Kim Min-chul? That’s a name I haven’t heard before.”
“A master of movement techniques skilled enough to shake off Dok-an-gwi, and yet unknown?”
But the suspicion lingering in the two men’s hearts hadn’t entirely dissipated.
The situation was far too precarious for that.
-Master! From now on, you need to win these two over!
Mincheol couldn’t possibly have missed that.
But how was he supposed to win them over in a situation like this?
As if reading Mincheol’s confusion, Bokdol-i spoke up.
-Simple! Just appeal to them that you’re a fan!
Bokdol-i immediately began rattling off the achievements of both men.
Mincheol followed suit and shouted it all out.
“Though I am but a humble junior student, I have long heard tales of your divine prowess!”
“You personally struck down the Manager who oppressed the common folk!”
“You sealed the entrance to Song Mountain and beheaded twenty bandits who tormented travelers!”
“You personally destroyed the sect of the Black Blade that dared to harass women!”
“Every time word of your righteous deeds reached my ears, my heart trembled with admiration!”
Of course, all of this had been investigated by other large guilds.
Since it was prepared material for conquering the Martial Arts Layer, it was extraordinarily detailed.
Mincheol listed every trivial achievement down to the smallest detail.
As Mincheol’s words continued, the expressions of Gunja-geom and Geom-seong began to soften.
And finally….
“Hahahaha! Then you’ve come here for righteous deeds as well?”
“When calamity strikes the martial world, the common folk suffer! How could I simply stand by and watch?”
“Exactly! A true righteous warrior must never turn a blind eye to the suffering of the common folk!”
“Hahahaha! Splendid! Absolutely splendid! You’re already a righteous warrior, junior!”
In mere moments, Mincheol had successfully won over both men.
Wi Ji-yeon and Moon Yu-baek watched the scene unfold with bewildered expressions.
‘Is this actually working?’
Mincheol himself was inwardly astonished.
When Bokdol-i had told him to flatter them, he’d been half-skeptical.
He never expected things to go so smoothly.
“But who are these two people?”
Wariness flickered back into the eyes of Gunja-geom and Geom-seong.
Mincheol quickly offered an explanation.
“I met them here. They helped me when I was being attacked by heretical martial artists.”
“Ah, is that so?”
“I failed to recognize the benefactor of my junior.”
But their eyes softened again just as quickly.
Mincheol let out a sigh of relief.
“To help one another in times of peril! Truly admirable! Other martial artists should follow such an example.”
“Everyone here knows this is the Heavenly Demon Tomb. Their eyes have gone mad with greed. There are plenty of warriors here seeking to settle personal grudges.”
The two men clicked their tongues in disapproval.
“This is all because of that thief who stole the Jangbodo. If it weren’t for that bastard, the martial artists wouldn’t have swarmed into the Heavenly Demon Tomb in the first place.”
“Exactly! A truly despicable wretch!”
“However, we cannot say the martial artists bear no fault either. They weren’t even certain, yet they declared the thief guilty and drew their blades without hesitation….”
“A truly shameful affair. Accusing someone of theft without a shred of evidence.”
Mincheol chimed in agreement.
Wi Ji-yeon and Moon Yu-baek regarded Mincheol quietly.
Their eyes held the look of those biting back many words.
“Your junior’s resolve to uphold righteousness deserves commendation. But you’ve ventured into a far too dangerous place.”
“This place has already become Hell itself.”
The atmosphere around the two men shifted ominously.
Was it merely my imagination?
I could detect a faint glimmer of fear in their eyes.
Of course, it had to be a ridiculous misunderstanding.
Top 100 Masters of the World did not experience fear.
“Hell? Could it be because of the Black Corpse?”
“Yes. The Demonic Cult has unleashed something truly vile.”
“It’s no ordinary Black Corpse. Even we find it difficult to cut down.”
“I’ve heard of the Demonic Cult’s infamy, but I never imagined they could create such things.”
At their words, Wi Ji-yeon and Moon Yu-baek quietly bit their lips.
Yet they refrained from pressing further.
“And the Black Corpse is not the only danger. There is something else.”
“Something else, you say?”
Gunja-geom glanced around before whispering to Mincheol.
“Do you know what we saw before coming here? We found Dang Baek’s corpse.”
At that name, I flinched.
Dang Baek, the King of Hell.
A master of the Dang Family who had shattered Bokdol-i’s arm with needles thin as thread.
“You seem incredulous.”
“But it is true.”
The two men interpreted my shock in a different light.
“Dang Baek was a master of a higher tier than us. Yet he was found dead with his heart torn out.”
“The Dang Family’s throwing weapons and poisons were scattered about. It means Dang Baek fought a desperate battle.”
Yet Dang Baek had fallen.
It meant a formidable enemy—one that even a Top 100 Master of the World could not overcome despite exhausting all their strength—was now wandering the Heavenly Demon Tomb.
“We don’t know who it is. What we’re certain of is that it’s not the Black Corpse. Dang Baek couldn’t have died to a mere Black Corpse.”
“We suspect it could be the work of a heterodox master… but there’s also the possibility of a Blood Corpse.”
The Blood Corpse was considered a tier above the Black Corpse.
While the Black Corpse was entirely black, the Blood Corpse was crimson.
In every aspect—basic performance and movement alike—the Blood Corpse far surpassed the Black Corpse.
“So from now on, wouldn’t it be better if the junior joined us in our movements?”
“As a senior of the Martial Arts Realm, I cannot leave the junior in such a place.”
It was a proposal with no reason to refuse.
Having two masters of the highest caliber together was reassuring.
Of course, if it were discovered that Wi Ji-yeon and Moon Yu-baek were members of the Demonic Cult, it would be a disaster.
But as long as I hid it well, it would be fine….
“Ehehehe!”
A bizarre laugh echoed from afar.
The group reflexively turned their gaze toward the source of the sound.
Thump, thump.
Someone walked slowly through the darkness.
Their entire body was concealed by a long robe, making their identity impossible to discern.
“My ears were itching for a reason! They were talking about me! Ehehehe!”
The Mysterious Figure threw their head back and laughed.
It was an unpleasant laugh that seemed to scratch at the eardrums.
“Who are you, you wretch!”
Gunja-geom and Geom-seong shouted at the Mysterious Figure.
But the Mysterious Figure only continued with that unpleasant laugh.
“This laugh… I’m certain I’ve heard it somewhere before…?”
Then, Moon Yu-baek murmured softly.
Soon, Moon Yu-baek’s eyes widened like lanterns.
“Dok-sin-sa-gwi!”
At Moon Yu-baek’s cry, Gunja-geom and Geom-seong also exclaimed in shock.
“Dok-sin-sa-gwi? Isn’t that the Grand Elder of Pungsin Gongung?”
“A madman obsessed with corpse creation—why is he here?”
“Wait, but how did you recognize Dok-sin-sa-gwi so immediately?”
The two cast suspicious glances at Moon Yu-baek.
Dok-sin-sa-gwi was a figure from the Borderlands.
The two had only heard the name; they had never seen him in person.
“Ehehehe? You recognized me? How did you recognize me?”
Dok-sin-sa-gwi tilted his head to one side as if confused.
Then his gaze turned toward Wi Ji-yeon.
“Your face looks so familiar… Ehehe! Ehehehe! I understand! I understand!”
Dok-sin-sa-gwi clapped his hands in delight.
“Wi Ji-mujin! You’re the daughter of Wi Ji-mujin! Ehehehe!”
Wi Ji-yeon’s eyes widened slightly.
It was because Dok-sin-sa-gwi had guessed her father’s name correctly.
“I never thought that wretch would live long enough to see his daughter! Even a mediocre one carries the bloodline of the Heavenly Demon! How fascinating! Truly fascinating!”
“What… do you mean by that?”
“Your father! Wi Ji-mujin! He must have been coughing up black blood every day, right?”
“How could you possibly…?”
“How could you not know? I created it that way!”
Dok-sin-sa-gwi’s laughter rose to a fever pitch.
“My corpse poison is absolutely vicious! Once it infiltrates the body, it’s nearly impossible to cure! It will torment you until the day you die!”
Wi Ji-yeon’s face grew increasingly pale.
Dok-sin-sa-gwi turned to her with a cruel smile.
“Hehehehe! Tell me—how did your father die? Did he cough up violet blood before the end? Or crimson red? If it was violet, the poison had rotted his organs. If it was red…”
“Aaaaaahhh!”
Wi Ji-yeon screamed and lunged forward.
“Miss!”
Moon Yu-baek urgently grabbed her. Wi Ji-yeon pushed against him, crying out.
“Moon Yu-baek! Let go! Release me!”
Wi Ji-yeon thrashed and screamed. But Moon Yu-baek would not release her.
If he let her go now, she would surely lose her life.
“Hehehehe! How perfect! I needed the blood of Cheonma’s lineage! With this, I can open the stone coffin! Heaven itself! Heaven is aiding me…”
Screeeech—
The sound of metal scraping cut off Dok-sin-sa-gwi’s words.
Gunja-geom and Geom-seong had drawn their blades.
“I don’t know exactly what’s happening here…”
“But we need to deal with you first.”
Top 100 Masters of the World.
Gunja-geom and Geom-seong unleashed their inner force.
In that instant, Mincheol felt as though he’d stepped into a sauna filled with scorching heat.
The pressure of their combined inner force compressed his entire body.
“Hehehehe! Excellent! Gunja-geom! Geom-seong! I needed your hearts as well!”
Dok-sin-sa-gwi charged straight forward, thrusting his fingertips like spears.
His entire body had become a weapon.
“Arrogant fool! Did you truly believe that even as the Great Elder of Windstorm Palace, you could face both of us simultaneously?”
“Come! Today I shall sever your head and bring glory to the Namgung name!”
Gunja-geom and Geom-seong moved instantly.
The three figures blurred and merged into a single chaotic dance.
Mincheol watched the three-way battle with wide eyes.
‘What? I can’t see anything at all?’
Even with his superhuman senses enhanced by transcendence, he couldn’t track their movements.
Boom—crash—
Only sound reached his ears, and even that was delayed.
The three were moving faster than the speed of sound.
‘Even Gunja-geom and Geom-seong are at this level?’
Gunja-geom and Geom-seong.
Both ranked in the lower tiers among the Top 100 Masters of the World.
It was no laughing matter. Being within the top hundred in a vast world like the Martial Arts Realm was an extraordinary achievement.
However, the Top 100 Masters of the World saw the gap widen dramatically as one climbed higher.
The lower and middle tiers weren’t formally ranked. The difference in skill wasn’t severe enough to warrant it.
Frankly, victory and defeat hinged on the slimmest of margins.
But from the upper tiers onward, rankings were assigned. The disparity was that pronounced.
Crash—
Even now, the battle raged on without pause.
Then, at some point, all movement ceased. The sound cut off entirely.
The blades of Gunja-geom and Geom-seong bore down upon both of Dok-sin-sa-gwi’s shoulders.
But that was all.
Their blades failed to cut through Dok-sin-sa-gwi’s body.
“What?”
“Impossible?”
Shock flooded both their faces.
In the next instant, Dok-sin-sa-gwi extended both arms wide to either side.
His palms struck both men’s chests with devastating force.
Gunja-geom and Geom-seong’s bodies rocketed backward, slamming into the wall.
Boom—
The wall shattered with a deafening crash. Both men collapsed to the ground, coughing blood.
“This… this is absurd…”
“How… could our sword energy…”
Both men spewed blood continuously. Their internal injuries were severe.
“Ahahahahaha!”
Dok-sin-sa-gwi’s laughter echoed long and loud.
Despite being struck by the very blade energy that had cut through the Black Corpse, he bore not a single wound.
“It’s futile! No matter what you do, you cannot harm me!”
Dok-sin-sa-gwi shed his robe.
A skeletal frame emerged, desiccated like a dead tree.
The emaciation was so extreme that every bone protruded visibly.
It went beyond that. Every muscle fiber remained vividly defined.
Devoid not only of fat but seemingly of all moisture, his body was a husk.
Upon witnessing this, Gunja-geom and Geom-seong cried out in horror.
“Could it be… the Corpse Ascension Technique? Have you transformed your own flesh into a corpse body?”
“That shouldn’t be possible… isn’t that a legendary technique that exists only in myth?”
“Ahahahahaha! Indeed! Indeed! Even I could only complete it after absorbing the secret arts of the Demonic Cult!”
Dok-sin-sa-gwi spread both arms wide and bellowed.
“The Soul-Halting Ultimate Demon Corpse! The great technique is complete! Now I can rightfully claim the title of supreme master under heaven!”
Despair washed over Gunja-geom and Geom-seong’s faces.
Whether he truly possessed the strength to claim supremacy remained uncertain.
But both men had experienced it firsthand.
How robust was the body of Dok-sin-sa-gwi, transformed into a Black Corpse.
And what extraordinary physical capabilities it possessed, far beyond common sense.
With the abilities of merely two people, there was no way to stop Dok-sin-sa-gwi.
“Kihihihik! Kihihi….”
After laughing for some time, Dok-sin-sa-gwi sensed something amiss.
“….”
“….”
“….”
Unlike Gunja-geom and Geom-seong, who were drowning in despair, the other three wore expressions of complex subtlety.
Among them, just one person.
Mincheol smiled faintly and spoke.
“Ah, so you’re a corpse demon?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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